Singular Plural Noun

 Definition: Singular means only one. Plural means more than one.

In order to make a noun plural, it is usually only necessary to add s. However, there are many irregular nouns that add es. The rules for spelling plural nouns are based on the letters at the end of the word. The chart below breaks up the rules into categories so that they are easier to remember.

RuleExamples
Most nounsAdd s to form the plural.cat ⇒ cats
truck ⇒ trucks
bug ⇒ bugs
Nouns that end in s, sh, x, ch, or zAdd es to form the plural. For words that end in z, add an extra z before the es.
Hint:
It is too hard to pronounce the words without the e. Try it – buss, brushs, foxs... You sound like a snake!
bus ⇒ buses
brush ⇒ brushes
fox ⇒ foxes
beach ⇒ beaches
quiz ⇒ quizzes
Nouns ending in f or feSome nouns ending in f or fe just add s. Sometimes it is necessary to change the f to a v. In that case, always end the word with es.
Hint:
Check a dictionary if you are unsure which rule a noun follows.
roof ⇒ roofs
safe ⇒ safes
shelf ⇒ shelves
wife ⇒ wives

In this lesson you will learn the rest of the rules for spelling plural nouns.

RuleExamples
Nouns that end in vowel + yAdd s to form the plural.donkey ⇒ donkeys
highway ⇒ highways
Nouns that end in vowel + oAdd s to form the plural.oreo ⇒ oreos
scenario ⇒ scenarios
Nouns that end in consonant + yChange the y to i and add es to form the plural.family ⇒ families
trophy ⇒ trophies
Nouns that end in consonant + oEasy rule:
Usually add es except for musical terms.

Complicated rule:
Some nouns that end in consonant + o add es. Many can be spelled either way. Look in the dictionary if you want to be sure.

These nouns always add es: potato, tomato, hero, echo, banjo, embargo, veto, torpedo.

Here are the preferred spellings of some plural nouns: buffaloes, dominoes, mosquitoes, volcanoes, tornadoes, ghettos, mangos, mottos, cargos, halos, mementos.
Regular examples:
potato ⇒ potatoes
dingo ⇒ dingoes
piano ⇒ pianos
soprano ⇒ sopranos

The chart below explains some exceptions to the rules.

ExceptionsExamples
Words from foreign languages, including musical termsSimply add s.taco ⇒ tacos
kimono ⇒ kimonos
aria ⇒ arias
Words that are proper nounsSimply add s.Eskimo ⇒ Eskimos
Picasso ⇒ Picassos
Words that are short forms of longer wordsSimply add s.photo (photograph) ⇒ photos
kilo (kilogram) ⇒ kilos
memo (memorandum) ⇒ memos
Hint: If a musical term or proper noun ends in s still add es.chorus ⇒ choruses
Jones ⇒ Joneses
Hint:
Are you confused yet? The easiest way to handle the plural nouns in this lesson is to remember a few shortcuts:
  • Memorize the short list of words that must end in es.
  • Add es to words that end in consonant + o.
  • For words that end in consonant + y, change y to i and add es.
  • Remember that foreign words usually end in s, not es.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Introduction to Computer

Image
Computers are electronic devices that are designed to process, store, and retrieve data. They are used for a wide variety of purposes, from personal computing to complex scientific simulations and industrial automation. A computer consists of various hardware components, including a central processing unit (CPU), memory, storage devices, input/output (I/O) devices such as keyboards, mice, and displays, and various other peripherals. Computers communicate with each other over networks, which are interconnected groups of computers that share resources and information. The internet is a global network that connects millions of computers around the world and enables communication and information sharing on an unprecedented scale. The field of computer science is concerned with the study of computers and computational systems, including their design, development, and application. It encompasses many subfields, including artificial intelligence, computer graphics, databases, programming lang...
Read more

History of Computer

Image
  History of Computer Topics  Definition of computer  Earliest computer  Computer History  Computer Generations Definition of Computer  Computer is a programmable machine.  Computer is a machine that manipulates data according to a list of instructions.  Computer is any device which aids humans in performing various kinds of computations or calculations.  Definition of Computer Three principles characteristic of computer:  It responds to a specific set of instructions in a well-defined manner.  It can execute a pre-recorded list of instructions.  It can quickly store and retrieve large amounts of data.  Earliest Computer  Originally calculations were computed by humans, whose job title was computers.  These human computers were typically engaged in the calculation of a mathematical expression.  The calculations of this period were specialized and expensive, requiring years of training in mathematics.  T...
Read more

Computer Generation

Image
 There are five generations of computer:  First generation– 1946 - 1958  Second generation– 1959 - 1964  Third generation– 1965 - 1970  Fourth generation– 1971 - today  Fifth generation– Today to future The First Generation   The first computers used vacuum tubes for circuitry and magnetic drums for memory, and were often enormous, taking up entire rooms.  They were very expensive to operate and in addition to using a great deal of electricity, generated a lot of heat, which was often the cause of malfunctions. The Second Generation   Transistors replaced vacuum tubes and ushered in the second generation of computers.  One transistor replaced the equivalent of 40 vacuum tubes.    Allowing computers to become smaller, faster, cheaper, more energy-efficient and more reliable.  Still generated a great deal of heat that can damage the computer. The Third Generation  The development of the integrated circuit was ...
Read more